axle stands

[calisa]

I have four axle stands, the jack that comes with the car, a trolley jack, a bottle jack and a jacking plate (goes into the jack point so that you can lift from the sill using a trolley jack).

How do I (safely) get the car onto the axle stands so that I can remove the wheels for refurbishment?

Where can I place the axle stands so that they don't damage the car.
Any tricks/tips of the trade are welcomed.

 

[Big_nige]

For the rear:
I always lift the rear of the car via the engine, there is a chunky bit near the cross over pipe. Use some padding inbetween. Then place the stands on the outer torsion bars (chunky tubes in the rear arches about the size of an aerosal can)

For the front
You might find you have jacking points depending on year or if they have been removed for some reason. Else a lift it in the same manner as the rear with a nice length of wood spanning the width of the petrol tank support.

 

[idc1873]

One of these up front is a good help

Then stands under the jacking points.

Lift via the engine as said then stands under the jack points again or the torsion bars (arrow)

 

[calisa]

when you lift the back, the front goes so low that it is difficult to get a jack underneath and if you lift one side, then it seems to be very precarious.what's the trick?

 

[idc1873]

Which ever way you jack just do it a bit at a time,front then back etc.. timber blocks under the front can help access at first.

 

[calisa]

Many thanks. Perhaps I'll borrow some scaffold planks from the building site next door and help things along that way!

 

[Big_nige]

A man should have a good selection of timber in his possession. Get yourself down to the local timber yard with a pencil behind yer ear.

Also remember cash and imperial measurements are the only language the timber yard man understands. So none of this 80x100mm metric stuff, its strictly 3be4, 4be5, 5be5, etc.

 

[plhorner]

ORIGINAL: calisa

when you lift the back, the front goes so low that it is difficult to get a jack underneath and if you lift one side, then it seems to be very precarious.what's the trick?

Be brave, take it steady and as long as your axle stands are not those nasty small based ones, you should be fine.
When I did a full lift on my 3.2, I used the jacking plate in the sill with a good trolley jack, lifted one side until I could get an axle stand under the rear torsion bar end cover (in the wheel arch as above) and one under the end cover of the front torsion bar / wish bone mount. You may need to physically lift the front of the car to get the stands in at the front, but again, be carefull and you'll be fine. Repeat the procedure on the other side, just watch that the axle stands on the first side that remain stable during the lift.
Being an engineer, I really wouldn't jack the car using the engine, the potential for serious damage is not worth the risk.

Good luck
Phil

 

[nathan 1981 930 G50]

I always jack up the rear first with a trolley jack and a small piece of 3/4" ply wood about 5" square. I struggled for years not using the engine but after being assured by someone that has done this hundreds of times with no issues I think it's safe. Place the axle stands on the rear outer torsion bars.
The other option is to have two identical trolley jacks and place one each on the anti roll bar brackets with some cardboard covering the cup of the jack.

A scissor jack is useful as they get so low to then get the front up in the air. I place it just in front of the fuel tank (nearer the bumper) starting with another piece of 3/4" ply and when I get the car high enough I use a piece of '2 by2' (in my working class Cambridge accent []) about 12" long and a trolley jack. I place the axle stands on the front torsion bar covers nearest the rear of the car.